By Franklin P. Gumapon
PAGADIAN CITY – The issue of Bangsamoro Basic
Law (BBL) is still the topic of the day.
Members of the four sectoral committees of the Regional Development
Council (RDC)-9 met yesterday at the “Balay Bisaya,” Zamboanga del Sur
Provincial Government Center in Barangay Dao here to discuss the salient
provisions of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).
Around 60 members of the committees on development
administration, infrastructure development, economic development and regional
social development came to participate in the BBL consultation called by Ms.
Teresita Socorro C. Ramos, RDC-9 acting chair and regional director of the
National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)-9.
Ramos told the participants that the said activity was
designed to solicit comments and recommendations from the different sectors in
regard to House Bill (HB) No. 4994 or the BBL.
“We are not conducting this because we are against the BBL
or the peace process, or, as our reaction to the Mamasapano incident,” Ramos
explained.
She also disclosed that the RDC had already discussed the
salient features of the BBL on two separate occasions – one with chief
government negotiator Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer and the other with
Congressman Celso Lobregat of Zamboanga City. “But RDC-9 has not yet come up with
a position on the BBL,” she added.
The four committees went over each article and provision of
the BBL and drew up their comments and recommendations. They also came up with
resolutions to be presented during the 150th regular RDC meeting in
Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay tomorrow, March 5.
In their resolutions, the sectoral committees have called on
the congress to review HB 4994 and to consider the comments and recommendations
advanced by the RDC members.
